June 27, 2025

Leadership Changes Transforming the Texas Real Estate Landscape

News Summary

The Texas real estate industry is witnessing significant leadership changes, particularly in Austin, as firms adjust to enhance growth and transaction services. Carly Langley joins Transwestern, while Jillian Johnson Hanks moves to CBRE. Will Pural begins with Northmarq, Dave Howard takes a role in debt and equity, and Paul Mouchakkaa is now with Crow Holdings. Ben Azulay has been appointed president at Bradford Allen. Concurrently, Salt Lake City faces a 5.9% decline in existing home sales, suggesting a mixed market outlook. These shifts indicate a dynamic future for real estate in the region.

Texas is seeing significant changes in the real estate sector as several prominent professionals join key firms, aimed at enhancing regional growth while focusing on transaction services. These leadership changes are expected to fuel development and advisory efforts across various domains within the industry.

Jillian Johnson Hanks has recently taken on the role of vice president at CBRE in its Salt Lake City office. Her primary focus will be on office leasing advisory and related transaction services. Hanks is slated to play a crucial role in bolstering CBRE’s presence in the region. Prior to joining CBRE, she served as a vice president at JLL in the Salt Lake region. Hanks has a strong background in advising real estate clients, including landlords and developers on various projects such as property conversions, expansions, and ground-up developments. Additionally, she worked with corporate clients across multiple sectors including engineering, technology, legal, consumer products, and financial services for Utah expansion projects.

Will Pural has been appointed as senior vice president within Northmarq’s National Restaurant Group and will operate out of the San Diego office. Pural specializes in advisory and transactional services for net-leased properties, with a particular focus on the restaurant sector. With 15 years of experience in real estate, Pural previously held a position as senior vice president of investments at CIRE Partners, managing over 300 transactions valued at more than $2 billion.

In Northmarq’s Richmond, Virginia office, Dave Howard has accepted the position of senior vice president of debt and equity. Howard will be responsible for sourcing financing capital across all categories of commercial real estate, which is pivotal for supporting Northmarq’s growth in the region. He boasts 40 years of experience in traditional and commercial mortgage banking and has served as a regional executive at Citizens and Farmers Bank in Richmond, further enhancing his credibility in the industry.

Austin, Texas, has welcomed Carly Langley as the new vice president of Transwestern Real Estate Services. Langley will be engaged in the office agency leasing team as the firm aims to expand its regional business development. Her previous experience includes key roles at Karlin Real Estate and Work&, where she was instrumental in launching the first WeWork locations in Texas and various other Southern regions. Langley also has a history in regional sales for a hospitality firm and led business development for a regional owner-developer, making her a valuable addition to the team.

Paul Mouchakkaa has joined Crow Holdings as a senior managing director in its Crow Holdings Capital division. His focus will be on the firm’s Build-to-Core and Core+ investment programs. Mouchakkaa brings a wealth of experience, having managed a global portfolio worth over $30 billion while heading real estate for Alberta Investment Management Corp., alongside previous executive roles at BentallGreenOak, CalPERS, Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing, and Pension Consulting Alliance.

Bradford Allen appointed Ben Azulay as president of brokerage services at its Chicago headquarters. Azulay, who has 21 years of industry experience, is set to aim at expanding the firm’s tenant and landlord representation for office, retail, and industrial properties across the country. His journey with Bradford Allen started in 2004, where he has successfully completed over 100 transactions nationwide for diverse corporate and nonprofit clients, including Grubhub and MedSpeed.

In housing market trends within Salt Lake City, existing home sales experienced a significant downturn of 5.9% in March, marking the most substantial decline since November 2022. Experts are observing polarized buyer behavior; while some rush in due to economic apprehensions, others prefer to wait it out. Inventory for homes has risen by 34% year-over-year, providing buyers a broader selection, though the market remains generally favorable to sellers. Real estate agents express uncertainty about the future direction of the market but anticipate that a complete downturn or crash is unlikely. The economic robustness of Utah, along with its appeal as a relocation destination, continues to underpin housing demand, despite indications of market cooling.

These recent leadership appointments are poised to enhance the operational capabilities and strategic growth initiatives of the firms involved, contributing positively to the regional real estate landscape in Texas and beyond.

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Author: STAFF HERE COLLEGE WRITER

The COLLEGE STATION STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERECollegeStation.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in College Station, Brazos County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Brazos Valley Fair & Rodeo, Chilifest, and Aggie Muster. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce and United Way of the Brazos Valley, plus leading businesses in education, biotechnology, and retail that power the local economy such as Texas A&M University, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, and H-E-B. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAustinTX.com, HEREDallas.com, HEREHouston.com, and HERESanAntonio.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Texas's dynamic landscape.

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